Acceptance
by T.E.Rose
Summary: Naruto comforts Ino after the death of Asuma bringing a new level of understanding and acceptance to their relationship. AU No longer a oneshot. Please Read and Review
1. Acceptance

Answers: A Naruto Story

Chapter 1: **Acceptance**

**By: **T.E. Rose

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters. Much to my great displeasure.

**Publish date:** April 2011

**A/N: **This is a one-shot I have no intention of expanding on it beyond what is already done. At least not at this time. Also this is AU and some of the characters will be OOC. That being said please feel free to review and tell me what you think. In this only a few members of the "Konoha 11" know that Naruto is a container, namely Shikamaru, Shino, Sakura and Neji.

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Sometimes in life you come up against a wall. When this happens its up to you to decided how to face it. Can you go around it? Can you go under it? Can you go over it? Can you go through it? Or do you find an alternate path? Whatever you decide on there is one thing you can not, under any circumstances, do. Give up.

At least not if you're Naruto Uzumaki.

Sighing despondently said blond shinobi was seeking the blond haired former student of Asuma Sarutobi. Asuma had quite recently fallen in battle to members of an elite organization styling itself as Akatsuki. Akatsuki was exclusively comprised of Ninja whose skill level was on par with or exceeding that of the Kage of any of the five great shinobi nations. Iwa, Kumo, Kiri, Suna and Konoha. Some were even said to be immortal thought that had for the most part proved untrue, granted they were extremely difficult to kill.

The reason Naruto sought his blond haired compatriot was simple. She had not attended the Sarutobi's funeral. Whether because she couldn't, wouldn't or didn't want to face the fact that her sensei was dead he wasn't sure but he felt that she deserved answers. To know why he had died.

He had spoken already to Shikamaru who had been present at the funeral, but the Nara genius had already deduced the reason for Naruto's desire to speak to him in private and come to terms with it. He said he didn't hold Naruto responsible for the death of his chain smoking sensei. Which eased the burden of guilt that had weighed itself against his conscious but did not assuage it.

Naruto had let a small sad smile come across his face at this point remembering the Nara's declaration that when it was time he would be the Jounin sensei to Asuma's child.

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He had been looking for more than an hour for the only other blond member of the Rookie Nine but eventually he did find her. She was in the same place one could find Kakashi most mornings. Staring disconsolately at the memorial stone. A monument dedicated to those who had given their lives for the sake of village. She was wearing her black funeral garb, perhaps she had intended to go.

He approached silently, trying to show some small measure of respect for his fellow Konoha nin in her time of grief. He stood by patiently awaiting the moment when she would acknowledge his presence.

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Ino had sensed their approach but didn't turn to see who it was. To much was going on inside her, for her to be able to speak without being overwhelmed by the flood of emotions that coursed through her.

They stood in companionable silence for a nearly an hour before Ino felt in control enough to see who it was. She was surprised when she turned to find Naruto. The blond was usually more vibrant and full of life than anyone she'd ever met. He seemed to exude energy all the time, except for right now.

She noticed he was wearing all black, right down to his shoes. It was in such stark contrast to what he usually wore that it had taken her a moment to recognize him.

"Hello Naruto." Ino intoned solemnly. Each word seeming to bring a stab of pain to her chest.

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"Ino..." Naruto nearly lost his resolve hearing the obvious distress that was bearing down on his...friend? "Can we talk? I... You need to know something."

He noticed that she looked somewhat caught off guard by his assertion. Frowning slightly she nodded her head. "Can it wait until after the funeral?" She asked quietly as she turned back towards the memorial stone.

Naruto was dismayed to hear her question. She had obviously lost track of the time. "Ino... the funeral is already finished." replied Naruto sympathetically reaching out a hand placing it gently on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

She seemed surprised to think that so much time had passed. That she had become lost on the road of life trying to find a meaning in chaos and death. A reason that a man as good as her sensei, a man who wanted nothing more than to start a family of his own, much as his own father had wished him to, could die so suddenly. How a life as bright as his could be snuffed out as if it were nothing more than one of his cigarettes. How he could die before being able to welcome his own child into this world and how he would never be allowed now to see them grow up. How he would never be able to give them the love and advice that children so need from their parents, whether or not they realize it.

Looking back over her shoulder she followed the hand back to its origin and found Naruto staring sadly at her. Yet there was something more there fear and guilt she thought. Though why he should feel those she could not comprehend.

"Here." Naruto formed a half seal, something she did not know he was capable of, and squeezed her shoulder before leaves kicked up and he directed them some place more private and less sacred.

Ino was surprised when she was rather unceremoniously dragged away but noted the serious look on her blond friend's face and so chose not to comment on it.

When they arrived Naruto went and sat on the edge of the precipice to which he had transported them.

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Ino looked around finding herself for the first time on top of the Hokage monument. It was just before sunset so the whole city was bathed in a calming almost surreal red glow. She was momentarily awestruck by the beauty that still existed in the world as it seemed so contrary to every thing that she felt inside.

As she stared she noticed her captor make a gesture asking her to join him. Acquiescing she made her way to where the only other blond from her graduating class was seated.

"This is my favorite view of the city." Naruto said so softy he may have just been speaking to himself.

"It is quite beautiful and peaceful up here." She commented agreeing with the usually loud and boisterous Genin seated next to her.

"I used to come here when I was younger. When the animosity of the village got to heavy for me to just shrug it off." Admitted Naruto surprising his companion as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "There were so few that treated me like I was human that it was difficult bear at times." Here he fell silent for a moment collecting his thoughts.

Ino looked curious wondering why he was telling her this. She would have brought voice to her curiosity but was denied the opportunity due to Naruto speaking up again.

"The Sandaime was one of the few who did. Its a debt that I can not and will not forget. He kept me sane and connected with my humanity when there where moments that I wanted nothing more than to surrender myself to the darkness that could so easily have consumed me." Naruto paused to take a deep shuddering breath barely managing to keep his emotions in check. "And now that debt has increased itself many times over."

Ino did not understand, but was concerned. It seemed as if Naruto were blaming himself for the death of her sensei. A heavy silence now stretched between them, one that she did not feel comfortable breaking.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, Naruto continued with his confession confirming her suspicions that he held himself to be responsible for Asuma's death.

"It's my fault that Asuma is dead." Naruto stated bluntly. "If it had not been for me Akatsuki would not have come here."

If she had been confused before she was down right perplexed now. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Naruto how your presence could be the reason for Asuma-sensei's death."

Naruto smiled sadly. "That's because you do not know what Akatsuki is."

Ino looked startled to realize that he did if she didn't. "What are they then?"

"Akatsuki is an organization comprised of Shinobi of a caliber on par with any of the Kage of the Five Great Nations. They are hunters. Hunters stalking nine very specific and very powerful creatures. The Demon Lords. They have already captured some of their prisons, others are still at large. I am one of the ones that is still at large."

Frowning she waited for Naruto to continue, she didn't see what any of this had to do with him.

"The day of my birth, Ino, was on the tenth of October fifteen years ago. The night that the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked our village and caused death and destruction on a scale unprecedented except in times of open warfare. The only way that the Yondaime could think of to stop such a malevolent entity was to seal it away. So that's what he did. I did not know what I was however until the night we all graduated from the academy."

Ino frowned again before she gasped as realization dawned on her. The Yondaime Hokage had died to seal the beast into the very boy now sitting next to her. She didn't know what to do or think and before she could come to a decision Naruto continued.

Naruto seeing that she had caught on to the fact that the fourth had sealed the Kyuubi in him quickly continued his explanation before she could jump to any conclusions. "While I was growing up I became a walking reminder of pain and loss of fear and death of helplessness and despair. It was because of this that I was ostracized treated as a leaper by people I had never even met. People treated me as if I were the very demon which I keep at bay." Pausing Naruto darted a furtive glance at his comrade. "There are or were eight others like myself, prison's for beings of unspeakable power. Though the only other one I have met is Sabaku no Gaara the container of the one tailed demon Shukaku."

Ino was shocked to hear all of this but as she did pieces began to fall into place. She had been impossibly obsessed with her own life when she had been an academy student but that didn't mean she was blind nor did it mean that she had been idle while there. She was ashamed to admit it but she had been a bit of a gossip hound. She had, during that pursuit, seen and heard the adults treat Naruto differently but had always just written it off to him being a prankster.

"Akatsuki seeks to capture all of the hosts and extract the demons that they contain so that they can use them for their own ends. What those may be I do not know. As I am a container they are seeking me. Attempting to capture me so that they may extract the Kitsune. Doing so will end my life as assuredly as striking my head from my shoulders would." Here Naruto paused making a concerted effort to keep his emotions in check. "If I had been stronger, faster, smarter... he wouldn't have had to fight Hidan and he wouldn't have died."

Naruto steeled himself as he turned to look at the reaction his confession had garnered from his fellow blond. What he saw surprised him. Instead of anger or disgust or contempt all the things he had expected to see he saw an emotion that had passed across the face of only a handful of people in regards to him. Acceptance.

"Very few people our age know what I am. If its possible I'd like to keep it that way. I would like to tell them in my own time. Hopefully under better circumstances than those which prompted my telling you." Naruto said in a voice barely above a whisper as he turned back towards the view of the city. The sun by this point had completely set casting the world in front of them into shadow.

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Ino could not believe what she was hearing the burden that the world had saddled the young man sitting next to her with was monstrous, quite literally. Coupled with the way he was treated it was a wonder that he had not succumbed to the darkness as others had or would have in his place.

With this realization came understanding, Naruto had led a troubled and far harder life than she, and yet here he was trying to take away some small bit of pain from her to give her a place on which she could vent her anger and frustration and grief. He was willing to bear yet another burden if he had to. She didn't know what to say. What she did know was that she could not bring herself to hate Naruto no matter how tempting such an outlet might be. With surprisingly little effort she slid closer to Naruto and slipped her arm into his leaning her head against his shoulder.

She felt him tense at the contact clearly not expecting it. She rather enjoyed it. For someone as unpredictable as the sunny blond was for him to be caught off guard was rather amusing. A slight smile tugged at the corners of her mouth at the thought, the first since the death of her sensei. Then another thought came to mind. Maybe he hadn't expected it because he hadn't experienced it. This thought managed to depress her enough to lose her smile replacing it with the almost perpetual frown that had been adorning her face the past few days.

She looked up at him when she felt him release a deep breath, the kind people hold trying to keep emotions under control, before relaxing letting a genuine smile grace his features for the first time in a long while. The one he normally wore was fake, used as a cloak to hide his true feelings even happiness, the one he wore now seemed to age him. It revealed him as man not a boy who had seen far to much of the world in short space of time.

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He closed his eyes basking in the closeness of Ino. Her seeming acceptance coupled with Shikamaru's earlier meant a great deal to him. A relatively comfortable silence then stretched between them as they sat there. Eventually Ino was the one to break it.

"If you wish to honor Asuma-sensei's memory then don't die." she whispered pulling him closer against herself the warmth emanating from him like a blanket staving off the crisp night air that had settled over the city with the setting of the sun.

"It will not be my end but theirs when the time comes." Naruto promised his voice barely above a whisper as he looked over at the beautiful blond haired girl seated beside him.

They stayed like that for a long time, the moon and stars overhead clear and bright on the cloudless night. Towards midnight Naruto noticed that Ino had fallen asleep leaning against him and loath as he was to do it he gently shook her awake and escorted her home.

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He stood watching after Ino left him at the front door. Not that he'd expected to be asked in. He saw the light in one of the second story windows flick on as he stood their. He watched as she passed by the window and his heart felt immensely light. Lighter than ever he remembered it being. Perhaps...

Another small smile, one that seemed to age him several years beyond his physical age, graced his features leaving his thought unfinished before making his own way home. The weight of the world once more on his shoulders pressing down on him and trying to force him into submission.

When you come up against a wall it is up to you how to face it. The one thing you cannot under any circumstances do is give up.

At least not if you are Naruto Uzumaki.


	2. Assistance

**Acceptance: A Naruto Story**  
><strong>Chapter 2: Assistance <strong>  
><strong>By: T.E. Rose<strong>

**Disclaimer:** I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters. Much to my great displeasure.

**Publish date:** May 13, 2011

**A/N:** I originally had no intention of expanding on this story past the initial one-shot. I changed my mind. I did leave myself an avenue, unintentionally, that I could use should I choose to and that is exactly what I have done. Now I plan to add four more chapters.

I am sure that I have several grammatical problems in the story below but I hope you find that it is still worth reading. I do not, nor do I plan to, have a beta so like all humans I miss things. I do not mean this to sound as an excuse, just a warning. I apologize in advance for any problems.

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_"The frozen rain slashes though the frigid night air. Its droplets biting to the touch as they run down my face. As I walk alone through the storm."_

He could not believe that it was this difficult to find him. It was not as if he were a Kunai. Choji was enormous and had flaming red hair, one would think he would stick out in a crowd. The fact that he was not was incredibly irksome to Naruto.

The blonde had even woken up early the previous morning to wait outside the Akamichi estate for him. The problem was that he was waiting outside the wrong set of gates.

This morning Naruto was once more on the hunt for the surprisingly illusive Akamichi heir before he went to train with Kakashi and Yamato at eight. Deciding he would have better luck if he enlisted someone who knew both his secret and Choji's schedule he considered his options.

It meant enlisting either Shikamaru or Ino and as Shikamaru had locked himself away in his families library, studying, searching tirelessly for a way to kill Hidan that really only left Ino. A turn of events he was not at all displeased with.

He had had an opportunity to speak with his fellow blonde only twice since the funeral and their rather intimate chat on the Hokage Monument a week ago. During both brief conversations he had felt the weight that almost constantly bore down on him ease slightly only for it to return once they parted company.

Naruto would have to wait until the afternoon though if he wanted her help as it seemed that the blonde girl was taking her sensei's last words to heart. Each time he had seen her she had been on her way to the medical academy to learn additional and more advanced medical techniques than the ones she could currently use. After which she would grab lunch somewhere before spending the afternoon and early evening practicing, perfecting and developing her clan techniques. Pushing them and herself as far as they could go. It seemed that she was determined to prevent what had happened to Asuma from happening to anyone else that she cared about.

A desire he was not unfamiliar with.

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When Ino left the Medical Academy after morning classes she found the blond boy who had in the past week become somewhat of an inspiration to her. She smiled at him as he walked over and despite herself blushed faintly when he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. A trait she found indescribably adorable. Not that she would admit to it. "Naruto-Kun? What's up?" She asked cheerily determined to be pleasant despite her hunger.

"I was hoping you could help me out? After lunch of course. Anywhere you want. My treat." Naruto responded smiling his ever present wide smile.

Ino grinned at him before dragging her fellow blond off down the road heading towards her favorite and fairly expensive sushi restaurant. The fact that it was a somewhat romantic never even crossed her mind. Nope not once. Never. Okay maybe once. Possibly Twice but no more than that. The boy was handsome and didn't even realize it, which to her just made him all the more attractive.

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After Lunch and with his wallet, Gama-chan, significantly lighter the blond haired duo set off in search of the one member of Team Ten who was still, as far as they knew, ignorant of the burden that Naruto bore.

With Ino's assistance it had taken them no time at all to locate the somewhat subdued Akamichi. Naruto turned to the girl who was quite possibly his closest friend as they watched the red headed boy practice his family techniques. "Thank you Ino-chan." Naruto said drawing her attention away from her teammate.

He smiled sadly at her. His voice heavy with dread, considering the conversation to come. Hearing it she turned and put a comforting hand on his arm before replying. "You're very welcome Naruto-Kun. Don't worry about his reaction. He'll understand."

Naruto again smiled sadly at her, her optimism was touching but Naruto had been hated most of his life by people who knew his burden and so could not quite muster it up. No matter how much he wanted to, he effected that it had lifted his spirits though and straightened his posture but retained his somber air.

He waited until the Akamichi stopped to take a brake before approaching him.

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Choji had seen the pair of them standing off to the side of the clearing that he used to practice his family techniques in privacy. They didn't seem to mind waiting though so he continued like he normally would. It also gave him time to observe them, what he saw was rather confusing. Naruto and Ino seemed very close for some reason, closer than he remembered them being. He wondered if his visit, and Ino's presence, had anything to do with the one he'd already paid Shikamaru. He'd seen the blond boy pull his the Nara heir aside after the funeral but hadn't stuck around to find out what they were talking about instead going home to mourn the loss of his sensei in the privacy of his own home. Now it seemed it was his turn.

Walking over to his things, he lifted a canteen filled with water and drank deeply before grabbing a protein bar and walking over to the two. "What's up?" Choji smiled but it faltered seeing the surprisingly serious look on Naruto's face and the consoling one on Ino's as she looked at him.

Naruto frowned. Trying to find a way to broach the subject before deciding to simply jump in. Taking a deep breath he began his tone wary dreading a negative reaction. "With Asuma's death it falls to me to explain to you the circumstances that lead to it."

Choji frowned at his friends words. He knew how Asuma-sensei had died. He had been there. How could Naruto possibly know more than him. Shrugging his shoulders he waited for the blonde boy to continue.

"I assume you have heard the name Akatsuki and are aware that Hidan was a member of the organization?" Naruto asked but didn't meet the Akamichi's eye.

The blondes body language was starting to freak him out. Naruto was usually boisterous and loud this new one was starkly contrary to the one he was used to making him more than slightly uncomfortable. "Yea, I've heard of them and was aware." He replied shifting from one foot to the other.

"You will also remember the rescue effort perpetrated on the behalf of Sabuku no Gaara?" This time Naruto did look up to meet the other boys eyes when he had finished speaking.

Ino again rested her hand on the arm of her fellow blonde in a reassuring manner, a gesture that was very much appreciated by him if the straightening of his posture was any indication. Having someone who knew and accepted him made it much easier for him to continue.

Again Choji nodded he remembered the Kazekage's kidnapping at the hands of Akatsuki but they had never been informed as to the reason for it. Choji had just assumed that it had been for ransom. As it would have been substantial but Naruto was hinting at a deeper meaning behind it though what it was eluded him.

"Gaara is unique there are or were only eight others like him in the world." Naruto stated pausing to look at his large friend. Seeing only confusion in his eyes. "Akatsuki are looking for those who are like Gaara. They came here knowing exactly who they were looking for as there is one in Konoha who is just like him, or very similar at any rate. They are hunting for the prisons of the tailed beasts."

Choji crossed his arms in front of his chest and frowned at his shorter friend. "Then why would they want Gaara?"

Naruto took a deep breath this was it. "Gaara's body was the prison for the one tailed demon Shukaku, just as mine is the prison for the nine tailed demon Kyuubi." Naruto stated.

It took the large Akamichi a moment to realize what Naruto was saying but when he did it made several things flash to the fore front of his memory. Scenes from their academy days, when they had skipped class together. He remembered instances where the blondes punishment had been significantly more severe than his own or anyone else's. He remember the looks the boy received from parents of several of the other students. The treatment of the blonde made far more sense than it had now that he understood. His eyes hardened but before he could say anything Ino spoke up on the behalf of her fellow blonde.

"They aren't the same thing Choji. It'd be like saying the wrapper of your protein bar was the protein bar. When we know that not to be the case." She spoke quickly and forcefully in the defense of her new...friend?

Naruto was grateful for Ino speaking up on his behalf. It meant a lot to him that she thought he was worth defending. He smiled gently at her before picking up where she left off. "The day I was born the Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi in me and as I grew up I became a walking reminder of the pain and suffering that had been caused by the beast and so became an easy target for peoples misplaced anger and resentment. They treated me as if I were the beast itself, which I am not. I am the vessel charged with keeping it at bay." Naruto spoke quickly in hopes of quelling the anger that had risen up in the Akamichi evidenced by the tightening of muscles in his back causing him to stand straighter and the narrowing of his eyes.

The big Akamichi's posture relaxed if only slightly as he took in everything his fellow Konoha Nin had to say before voicing the first question that came to mind. "Why would they want the tailed beasts?"

Naruto frowned at the personification of a walking boulder that was Choji Akamichi before answering. "I am not sure. There are two things I do know however. One is that whatever they want them for you can be certain its nothing good and two they will be back for me."

"We'll just have to be ready for them when they do show up Naruto-kun. You wont be alone." Ino spoke up encouragingly from beside him her hand still resting comfortingly on his arm.

Choji watched as Naruto turned to look at his teammate before smiling at her. The thing was the smile seemed to age him before his very eyes. He looked like someone who had endure more pain and suffering in his sort life than many would know in their entire lives. It was a look that had no business being on the face of someone so young.

That in mind a new fiery determination welled up in the red haired boy far more potent than the rage fueled one that had been fueling him for the past week. Now it was fueled not by simmering anger but rather by love and desire to protect his friends, his comrades and his home from the suffering that could be caused by members of the same organization that had taken his sensei from him. If they were coming back then he had to be ready. With his new resolve formed the young man turned his back on his blonde haired compatriots and went back to training.

He had been at it only a few moments when Ino's tentative voice stopped him mid form. "Choji?" It sounded as if she didn't know whether or not to be angry with him.

Giving her a reassuring smile, that would have encompassed the other blonde had he been looking at him instead the boys back was turned his head down. He likely would have left already if it were not for Ino's gentle grasp on one of his arms. The other boys posture told Choji precisely what the boy perceived his actions to have meant. Namely a negative response. Looking to alleviate the boys fears he spoke. "Well if those bastards are coming back then I want to be ready so I can punish them."

Choji's tone of voice had shocked Ino. She had only ever heard him sound that determined and angry when someone had called him fat. A lapse in judgement that often resulted in a hospital trip for the perpetrator, at the very least.

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Naruto smiled, one that was but a shade of his usual bright smile, and just as fake to someone to had seen the young man's genuine one. Someone like Ino. She didn't know exactly what the boy was thinking but she knew enough to guess.

Putting the thought aside she watched as the two boys shook hands before Naruto turned his back to the red headed Akamichi who turned back to his training. Determination etched into every inch of the boys large frame.

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Ino followed Naruto out of the clearing and back towards town silently walking by his side making note of several withering looks directed at the young man who walked beside her. Shouldering a burden many could not begin to understand. She was not sure where they were going and was somewhat surprised when they arrived in a rather small, isolated park.

Its black stone walkway leading towards the center of the park where a fountain dedicated to the memory of the late Sandaime Hokage, a man Naruto viewed as his grandfather having never actually known who his family was.

Sitting on one of the many benches that surrounded the white marble memorial. He watched as the water splashed down into the basin, the outside of which had monkeys carved into it, that surround the bronze effigy of his deceased grandfather.

She sat down quietly beside him and after several minutes that passed in the span of a heartbeat she turned to him worrying her lip for a moment wondering, as she had most of the walk there, how it was she was going to broach the subject of what she had observed in the boys mannerisms near the end of his talk with Choji.

"Naruto-kun?" She spoke his name quietly and questioningly wondering if he was listening or lost in his own thoughts and memories. When he turned his head slightly to look at her she knew he was listening.

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Naruto frowned as he sat down on one of the varous benches arrayed around the fountain thinking about everything that had been said by Ino and Choji. If he could help it no Ninja of Konoha would fight a member of Akatsuki save him. They were his responsibility.

"Naruto-Kun?" He had been startled to hear someone speak but years of training had taught him to suppress his initial reflexive response and so he simply turned his head to look at who had spoken.

He had been quite lost in his own thoughts on the way there, he had not even realized that Ino had been following him until she had said his name.

"I know what your thinking Naruto-kun." Ino told him frowning at him clearly she had picked up on his train of thought somehow. "You can not fight them on your own. We are ninja too, our lives tend to be short and end in violence and blood. We want to help you."

He smiled sadly at her before responding. "I understand that very well Ino.-chan" She smiled shyly at him, an expression he found undeniably attractive on her and completely foreign to the girls usually confident demeanor. "Akatsuki however is my responsibility, I brought them here. I do not know if I could live with myself if more of you were hurt or killed because of my presence."

Ino nodded her head sadly as he confirmed her suspicions. "And what makes you think any of us could live with ourselves if you were captured and killed because you were trying to protect us?" Came the pretty blonde girls reply and after only a brief silence she added. "Your life is no less important than the rest of us and possibly more."

Frowning he sighed tiredly. "Not to me. You are all the most important thing to me."

"Be that as it may. We do not know what the consequences of your capture would be." Ino replied logically be she smiled at him the same shy smile she had worn a minute or so before that he had found very pretty and made his stomach feel hollow but not empty. "Naruto-kun you're an idiot." she teased him playfully, effectively closing the subject to discussion.

After that she scooted closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder much as she had a week previous when he had taken her aside to explain to her the circumstances of her sensei's death. "Dont forget what you told me Naruto-kun."

"Hmm?" he grunted questioningly while subtly inhaling the smell Ino's hair. It smelled like cherries.

"It will not be my end but theirs." Was her quiet response to his grunted question before she added. "Everyone needs help sometimes. You don't have to bear the weight of the world alone."

That said she fell silent enjoying the heat radiating from the young man she was sitting next to.

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They stayed like that for several minutes, then an hour and then before they knew it darkness had fallen around them.

Shortly after nights arrival fireflies began to wake up. Their tiny lights like localized stars hanging over the pool of shimmering black water that quietly splashed down. She had been quite mesmerized by the beauty of the scene. It was not one she had been expecting here. She wondered absetnly if Naruto realized that both of the places he had taken her in the last weekcould be considered quite romantic.

Casting a look up at him she thought that he probably did not. That they just held a significance to him.

Averting her gaze from Naruto's whisker marked face she instead turned it to her surroundings watching as the fireflies would light up briefly before falling dark once more. She would try and guess where one would reappear. Sighing with surprising contentment she continued to relax in the presence of the once loud boy turned refined young man against whose shoulder she was leaning.

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As the time passed with surprising swiftness Naruto decided that it was time to walk Ino home. He had no wish to incur the wrath Ino's parents. Her father was a high ranking member of the ANBU Interrogation Division and if her mother was anything like her dauhter then neither of them were someone he needed to insight the wrath of. "Ino, I think its time I take you home. Your dad will kick my ass for keeping you out all night again." He teased as she stood up and stretched. Even in the semidarkness of the fall evening it was quite easy to admire the long lines and generous curves of her body. They drew his eye and he made only a half hearted effort to resist.

She doubtlessly noticed but didn't say anything as he stood up and stretched his own stiff muscles.

After which the pair made their way to Ino's home. Walking perhaps closer and slower than was strictly necessary.

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Once more Ino left him at the door. Though this time instead of simply biding him good night she had given him a hug before retreating inside the sanctuary of her parents home.

Standing back he watched for the second time in a week as a light flickered on late at night, on the second story of the Yamanaka residence. Ino passed by the window and paused looking out to see him still standing there. She had quirked a pale blonde eyebrow at him before twitching the curtains shut leaving only a slim sliver of yellow light shining through a narrow gap.

Smiling a rare genuine smile, something he found himself doing more and more frequently since his admission to Ino, he made his way home to his lonely run down apartment on the other side of town. His heart light.

_"The frozen rain slashes though the frigid night air. Its droplets biting to the touch as they run down my face. As I walk alone through the storm."_


	3. Alleviate

Acceptance: A Naruto Story  
>Chapter 3: Alleviate<br>By: T.E. Rose

Disclaimer: I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters. Much to my great displeasure.

Publish date: May 25, 2011

A/N: I went through and fixed several errors in Chapter Two, I highly doubt I got them all but as I said in my Chapter Two Author's Note I'm only human.

Sorry for the wait. I had originally intended to have this chapter out on the 19th of May but life, as it sometimes does, got in the way.

As for this chapter there will be errors. I do proofread but the possibility that I missed something, or many somethings, still remains. This chapter did not really turn out the way I had wanted it to, I am not overly satisfied with it. I hope however that you may find it acceptable and will continue to both read and review.

I plan on writing two more chapters for this story and then perhaps I will publish the first segment of one of my other stories.

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"Frozen and penetrating is the rain as it falls heavily on me. My skin. My body. My mind. Are soon numb to its icy caress."

Naruto woke up the morning after his chat with Choji a feeling of dread weighing over him. He had two more people to talk with that were very close to Asuma. One being his nephew, Konohamaru and the other being his wife, Kurenai Yuuhi. Of the two he was the most leery of approaching Konohamaru.

The boy was like him at that age. Loud, impulsive, and brash. He worried that Konohamaru would not take what he had to say very well.

Kurenai already knew what he was and he was fairly certain that she did not hold him responsible for the death of her husband. Not that that simple fact would deter him from seeking to make recompense with the now widowed former sensei of 'Team 8'. He would endeavor to help the Genjutsu Mistress in any way that he could for his role in the death of her husband and soon to be father of her child.

Frowning Naruto set about getting ready for the day. Taking longer than was necessary trying to put off what it was that he needed to do as long as he could. He had wanted to speak with the young man after the funeral but the boy had been so distraught that Naruto did not have the heart to lay another burden on the young Genin's shoulders. The boy had just put his uncle and last living blood relative in the ground.

All that was left was Kurenai who had been doing her damnedest to comfort the boy despite her own sorrow. He could see it etched in each and every line of her porcelain features it was a look he was all to familiar with. He had seen it staring back at him from his cracked bathroom mirror every morning for the better part of his life. Now he had to do what he could to alleviate the boys suffering no matter the cost to him personally.

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Ino walked towards the Konoha Medical Academy. It was a training facility that had been set up by the Godaime, Tsunade Senju, in an effort to curb the amount of nin who died in the field. It was open to any ninja who wished to learn medical jutsu. Even if only minor ones. Naruto had even been in. The boy had proved hopeless though his control was just not good enough despite his improvement.

It had not had quite as large an impact as the famous medic had hoped but it had helped. ANBU mission deaths had decreased, Jounin and Chunin as well. The more advanced techniques were kept off site however, you needed to have special permission to have access to the scrolls that detailed the techniques. Ino herself had only recently felt the need to learn them. What she had known had always been good enough...And then it wasn't and her sensei payed the price for it.

Now she was not going to let it happen again. She was not sure she would be able to live with herself if something happened to Naruto or Shikamaru or Choji or anyone else that she cared about when she could have prevented it if she had just trained harder to gain the skills necessary to mend what was broken. Especially when the information was readily available.

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Naruto had spent three hours that morning trying to find Konohamaru but had been unsuccessful. He had spoken to both Moegi and Udon but neither had seen him yet and did not know where he was.

Though they did know that he had been pushing himself harder than usual often collapsing due to exhaustion on the training field but he always showed up the next morning for more.

Naruto could tell that they were both incredibly worried about their friend. He had even spoken to the closet pervert Ebisu the teams Jounin sensei. The man had just scoffed and said he did not know.

Apparently he was still angry with Naruto for teaching his student, the honorable grandson, the dishonorable technique the Oiroke no Jutsu. A technique Naruto and Konohamaru had used to humiliate the man on multiple occasions.

Frowning he left to meet Kakashi and Yamato-Taicho at the waterfall so that he could try to learn to combine his wind element to his Rasengan maybe after his morning training he would be able to look for his self proclaimed rival once more.

He just hoped that after their conversation they would part on the same terms. Naruto was less than optimistic though. While 'Team 10' had been close to their sensei, Konohamaru was different, he was blood and as they say, blood is thicker than water.

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During his training he thought about the various places the young heir to the Sandaime's legacy could be. He could only come up with a few places that the boy would have gone but thought he'd check in with the boy's teammates before he went and scoured the village for the him once again. Perhaps he had just lost track of the time and arrived late for team training. Naruto sincerely doubted that but one never knew.

At lunch he packed his personal belongings up but left several hundred clones practicing various things ranging from elemental manipulation to reading various books and scrolls covering various subjects all in an attempt to make himself smarter so that hopefully in battle he would be able to implement effective strategies quicker than he currently could, instead of mainly relying on his abnormal stamina to out last his enemies. The mind could be a most dangerous weapon when honed. As evidenced by the fact that in a fight Shikamaru could likely develop a strategy to defeat him despite being physically weaker.

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As it turned out, neither Moegi or Udon had seen their teammate and had become extremely worried about him. He always made it to training in the morning, no matter how tired he was from the day before.

Naruto had frowned hearing the concern in Moegi's voice. When she had talked to him, he could tell she was barely suppressing her sense of rising panic that had increased exponentially as the morning had worn on.

After promising to find him Naruto had took off once more, searching the boys favorite haunts before finally settling to check the one place he himself hated going. The hospital. His hatred of the place had even lead him to attempt to learn medical ninjutsu in an effort to make avoiding the place even more manageable.

Naruto thought that perhaps the boy had trained himself past the point of exhaustion the night before and been found passed out by an ANBU patrol and taken to the hospital, something that had happened to him on more than one occasion.

Course set he made his way towards the medical facility.

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After lunch, which she had just picked at, she made her way up to the locker room on the third floor so that she could change into her scrubs. They were a light sky blue that matched her eye's. A fact that she appreciated.

On her way up she mused idly on the quality of the hospital cafeteria food. The food there was terrible she could see why patients wanted to get out as quickly as possible, and why Naruto would constantly attempt to smuggle in ramen from Ichiraku whenever he was forced to remain for an extended stay. Patients were liable to starve to death or die of malnutrition if they were not having fluids pumped into their system intravenously.

Laughing to herself mentally, her mind again shifted gears instead thinking about the fact that she was going to be doing over the next six hours. She did not mind that she had been assigned to pick up a shift at the hospital that afternoon. Partly because it would give her a chance to put what she was learning into practice in a controlled environment but also because it was a little extra money to put in her pocket. Money she could save, use to purchase new equipment or clothes or to finally get out of her parents place and into one of her own. She loved her parents dearly, but sometimes a girl just had to do things for herself.

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Changing quickly she reported to the head nurses station to receive her patient roster. To her slight surprise Sarutobi Konohamaru was on her list of patients. He had been brought in the night before around eleven with severe chakra exhaustion and the early stages of hypothermia. She was a little disappointed that the boy was on her list.

It was not that she did not like the boy it was more the fact that he was almost a carbon copy of Naruto. Which was a good thing to an extent but with her burgeoning feelings for the blond it was also a bit of a, to borrow a line for her teammate, troublesome turn of events.. She was not exactly sure what it was that she felt about Naruto. She liked him, but she could not figure out if it was simply admiration, or if it was something deeper.

Having to deal with a mini Naruto was not something she was overly excited about as it could only serve to confuse her feelings more than they already were.

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Naruto made his way through the busy streets of Konoha. Despite all he had done many of the villagers, civilians in particular, still held little love for him. It was painful walking through the streets seeing the outright animosity present in many of their eyes. For the most part civilians were not aware of his contributions towards the villages safety such as his battle with Gaara, his trouncing of Mizuki or the fact that it had ultimately been he who had convinced Tsunade to return and take her rightful place as the Godaime Hokage. Both of the first two events were considered classified, as such only other ninja of certain ranks were aware of the details and while it was common knowledge that he had accompanied Jiraiya to retrieve Tsunade many, mistakenly, believed that it had been Jiraiya who had talked Tsunade into returning.

It had gotten better over the years but it was still there. A barely veiled loathing. It was easier to bear though now that he understood what was the cause of it. He just hopped that the bond between himself and the boy he saw as his younger brother in all but blood would not become to damaged with the revelation he was about to settle on his shoulders. The burden of knowledge could be heavy, especially for one so young but Konohamaru had a right to know and so Naruto would tell him.

It took him a half hour to walk from the training ground that Cell 3, otherwise referred to as Team Ebisu, used for their team practice and skills training to the Hospital. It was really the only thing that made sense. If Konohamaru was able to he would have gone to training even if he was late.

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Ino had seen Naruto duck into Konohamaru's room and so had put it off until last on her rounds hoping that by putting it off for as long as possible would give Naruto time to explain things to Konohamaru and leave so that her thoughts were left as unclouded as possible while she sorted through her own thoughts and feelings over the boy.

When she arrived at room #305, the room which Konohamaru had been assigned she could hear nothing but silence emanating from the room. She figured that the boys must have finished their conversation.

Pushing open the door Ino proceeded in to find a sight she had not been expecting. Konohamru was sitting up in his bed his boyish face marred by a scowl the likes of which she had not seen since she was an academy student and had been obsessed with Sasuke Uchiha. Clearly Naruto's conversation with the boy had not gone well if these were the results.

Sighing to herself she walked over to the boys bedside. Checked his chart briefly before taking the seat that Naruto had clearly occupied given its proximity to the bed. "Alright what's up kid?" Ino asked hoping that he would tell her what was bothering him of his own volition. She could make a guess but she wanted to here it from the Konohamaru.

Konohamaru turned a withering glance towards her before huffing, crossing his arms across his chest and responding. "Nothing, Ino-san."

Ino merely raised an eyebrow taking note of boys resentful tone. "Clearly." She responded simply skepticism evident in her tone.

Konohamaru frowned looking at the blue eyed girl before shrugging. "I can't tell you anyway. Village secret." He asserted a sneer coming over his features.

Ino took a deep breath before responding as calmly as she could. "Look brat you don't need to be pissy with me and if your going to act like a petulant child then Naruto-kun is better off without you in his life." With that she got up and prepared to leave.

As she reached the door however she stopped. "Naruto shoulders a burden for this village everyday, the least you, or I, can do is shoulder one for him."

Silence was the only reply she received as she left the room.

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After her short confrontation with Konohamaru Ino went about the rest of her duties, her annoyance clear to everyone she interacted with. Its source however was not.

Once she had checked on each of the patients that she had been assigned three times she finally had calmed down enough that she wasn't liable to start yelling at the boy. Stopping outside the door she cracked it and peaked in to see him still sitting on his bed staring, without seeing, at the blankets that covered the lower half of his body clearly deep in thought.

Crossing the room her hands glowing green she ran a quick diagnostic checking the boys vital signs and to see if his core temperature had returned to normal or if she needed to prepare another IV of warm saline solution.

The entire time she was doing this she never said a word, nor did Konohamaru. Sighing to herself believing that the boy just needed more time to sort through his thoughts and feelings, Ino made her way to door.

Just as she pushed it open she heard the Sandaime's grandson speak out.

"Ino-san."

She waited for him to continue her back still turned to him.

"I'm sorry, for the way I acted earlier and I can see now that it was not his fault."

Ino did not need for the boy to elaborate, she new who he was talking about. Turning her head she looked back over her shoulder at the young man. "It's not me you need to be apologizing to." With that she left the door swinging shut behind her.

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Naruto was sprawled out on his back his shirt stuck to his body as he inhaled great deep breaths. After his discussion with Konohamaru he had been disheartened. He had wanted to see Ino but had been unable to locate her and so had turned to the next best alternative. Training.

He had retreated to the same training area he had been using since his return with Jiraiya. The waterfall's roar as it crashed into the pool at its base was soothing and helped clear his mind. Creating a hoard of Kage Bunshin he set himself to spar against them. Taking more than his fair share of lumps in the process. Several hours passed in this fashion until night had set in and starlight peaked through the tree branches overhead glinting off the water, not that he could see it from his present position.

After he had caught his breath Naruto remained where he was examining the starlit canopy above but soon found his thoughts straying once more. Though this time not towards the dark thoughts centering around his conversation with the Sandaime's grandson. Rather he thought about his growing attachment to the only blonde who was possibly louder than him.

Everyday for the past week or so he had found his thoughts straying to her. He could not help it. She had somehow become one of the most important people in his life in an amazingly short span of time.

With a deep breath he let out a sigh and sat up taking a moment before standing to look out over the water as it rippled in pale light emanating from the night sky. It was quite beautiful, perhaps he'd get the chance to show Ino sometime.

Standing Naruto started walking back towards town.

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Naruto followed his feet once he reached the outskirts of the village. Trusting them to know where it was that he wanted to go. Apparently it wasn't home.

Without realizing what he had been doing he had wound up once more in front of the Yamanaka residence looking up at Ino's bedroom window. He watched as the light flickered off signifying that Ino had only just gone to bed.

Smiling sadly at the thought of what would never be he made his way to his own home passing through the surisingly quiet, desolate streets of late night Konoha. Going back to his lonely rundown apartment.

"Frozen and penetrating is the rain as it falls heavily on me. My skin. My body. My mind. Are soon numb to its icy caress."


	4. Atonement

**Acceptance: A Naruto Story**

**Chapter 4: Atonement**

**By: T.E. Rose**

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters. Much to my great displeasure.**

**A/N: **I would like to apologize for two things.

First, how long it has taken me to get this chapter out. When it came time for me to sit down and write this piece of the story I was not entirely sure how I was going to proceed, having originally not planned to write any additional content beyond the first chapter for this. Thus it presented me with a formidable challenge.

Second, any spelling or grammatical errors that I may have made within the body of the chapter. I do my best to weed them out but I am sure I missed some, I am only human after all.

In other news, I have gone back and made several corrections and additions to the previous chapter. I even, just for one of my readers, changed the color of Ino's eyes from green to blue.

Now that that is out of the way I hope you all find this chapter to your liking and without further ado, please read and review.

**Publishing date:July 4, 2011**

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"_Darkness is cast by the thunderheads overhead, as they sound with a deafening clap. A lightning bolt's dazzlingly bright display relieves the surround of nights all consuming shadow. If only for a moment." _

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The morning following his confrontation with Konohamaru, Naruto woke up determined to finish his apologies for simply existing. Kurenai was the last of those to whom he felt he was obligated to make amends to.

Kurenai he felt was likely to be both the easiest and the hardest to atone to. His sin was simply existing so if she blamed him for Asuma's death then their was little he would be able to do to make things right, though if blaming him made her feel better he would shoulder her resentment just as he did everything else. Other than that he would do his best to watch out for her and her child from the sidelines, with or without her consent.

Course of action decided upon Naruto rose from his bed kicking his tattered blanket down to the foot of his bed, not bothering to make it up. As for all intents and purposes it would look just as bad. Quickly dressing Naruto made his way over to his small kitchenette and set water to boil on the only burner of his stove that actually worked.

After breakfast he would have to go and see the former Ice Queen.

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Ino sighed as she picked at her breakfast. She was not overly hungry she had to much on her mind to concentrate on eating. Mostly a certain blond haired blue eyed boy. As well versed as she had believed she was in relationships she now found herself in a situation in which she was not sure what to do. For a number of reasons.

Normally she would have talked to her mother but with her mother being a civilian she was not sure that she would understand her concerns. What she needed was to speak with a kunoichi one who had made time for a relationship while at the same time continuing on with her career and find out how they had juggled the two. Which, out of the women that she knew, meant she would be seeking out and speaking with Tsume Inuzuka, Kiba and Hana's mother, Yoshino Nara, Shikamaru's mother, or Kurenai Yuuhi Sarutobi her mentors widow.

Her course of action decided upon for the day she scrapped the remnants of the garden omelet from her plate into the bucket that her mother or father would empty out that night after dinner, adding the food scraps to the compost pile that would eventually be used to fertilize their many flower beds. Setting her dishes in the sink and making her way out of the house in search of a more worldly kunoichi.

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Naruto still did not know what it was that he was going to say to Kurenai when he finally arrived at the woman's house. She had always been pleasant enough to him in the past but that had been before the death of her husband at the hands of men who were out their hunting down him and those like him. As if their existences were not challenging enough as it was.

When he arrived at the tiny house, that Asuma and Kurenai had purchased after they had tied the knot, he stood across street staring intently at the wrought iron gate. Unsure how to approach the red eyed beauty he loitered out front of the small home for well over an hour trying to will himself forward, to pass through the gate and approach the front door. Despite his impressive will he failed. His legs flatly refusing to take a step towards the house.

Frustrated that he had failed he turned and made his way to meet Kakashi and Yamato for training. He was late already and if Kakashi beat him there he would never hear the end of it.

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"You alright Naruto? You seem distracted today." Kakashi asked concern lacing his lazy drawl. As he gave his student an appraising look from his visible eye as he worried over his student's bizarre behavior. The boy had shown up late that morning and had seemed off ever since.

Naruto however did not hear his sensei speak to him. His thoughts preoccupied with the things that had been on his mind ever since the day of the funeral. Ino, learning to create the **Fuuton: Rasengan, ** and informing Asuma's precious people of his part in the mans death. It was not until Kakashi set one hand on his shoulder and waved a hand in front his face.

"Huh?" Naruto asked intelligently as he was dragged from his thoughts to find his cycloptic sensei in front of him.

"I asked if you were alright. You seem distracted." Kakashi answered his single visible eye crinkling signifying a smile as he stooped slightly to be eye to eyes with his blond haired pupil.

"Yea... Yea, I'm fine sensei, just lots on my mind." Naruto responded a sheepish smile finding its way to his face even as he scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed fashion.

Kakashi gave his student a long look before prying, probing the depths of his most unpredictable students mind. "Well is it something I can help you with? You going to need to be able to focus if you're planning to be able to complete the process of infusing your **Rasengan** with your wind natured chakra anytime soon."

Naruto considered his sensei's offer momentarily as he stared into his instructors eye before he answered. "No that's alright sensei just women problems is all."

He regretted saying that almost the moment it left his mouth as it lead to his silver haired sensei's eye to begin sparkling with a light of barely suppressed glee. "Why Naruto. If there is any facet of life that I can help you with it is just that." Kakashi assured his whisker marked student, mirth evident in his voice as he whipped out a worn and battered copy of the first volume of the Icha Icha Series. _Icha Icha: Spoils of War._ "As the Elite Jounin and literature connoisseur that I am, I am well versed in a multitude of ways in which to deal with lady problems."

Groaning internally Naruto proceeded to tune out his instructors incredibly enthusiastic and disturbingly detailed lecture.

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Ino sighed as she walked down the bustling streets of Konoha a frown marring her delicate features. One that in recent days had seen its way onto her face far more often than she would care to admit. Its only remedy being the presence of a certain blue eyed boy who had been plaguing her thoughts more and more over the past week and a half.

Thus far on her quest for enlightenment she was having no luck.

Yoshino Nara, who had been her first choice of the three women she had narrowed her list down to, had had a full schedule at the hospital where she worked as a psychiatric councilor. After finding that out she had then gone in search of Tsume who as it turned out had been sent out on a mission early that morning to track down a Chunin who had gone A.W.O.L. That left Kurenai Yuuhi Sarutobi her late sensei's wife.

It was not that she did not feel close to the raven haired woman. On the contrary she was very close to her having spent a number of training sessions with the red eyed woman honing her Genjutsu skills during the period that Naruto had been away from the village training with Jiraiya and had developed quite the rapport with her sensei's significant other. The truth of the matter was that she had sought to avoid speaking to her because she did not wish to reopen fresh wounds.

Of course of the three women she would also probably be the best one to talk to over the subject, Yoshino having never lost her partner and Tsume's had been killed during the Kyuubi's attack more than sixteen years ago giving the emotional wounds the loss had incurred time to heal. Given the rawness of Kurenai's emotional scaring however Ino was afraid that the topic would make the already emotional and hormonal woman even more so when coupled with the advanced stage of her pregnancy.

Deciding that there was nothing for it, Ino made her way to her families flower shop where she could procure a nice arrangement of flowers to take over to the Genjutsu mistress' house with her.

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Naruto's body sagged with relief as he leaned against the side wall of shop, having just escaped his sensei. Kakashi had been lecturing him on ways to deal with a variety of lady problems, none of which he was having at the moment, with a fervor that had frankly disturb him. The fire that burned in the mans eye as he had been was remarkably similar to the one's that burned in Maito Gai and Rock Lee's eyes when they spoke about "Youth" or Anko Mitarsahi spoke about dango. It was a passion that was frightening on a number of levels.

_'That must be how people feel when I talk about ramen.' _Naruto mused idly to himself as he relaxed slightly in the relative safety of the alleyway.

It was as he stood there that the bell over the shops door chimed, turning his head to look and see who it was he was surprised, though he did not know why, to see Ino carrying a rather attractive bouquet of flowers. He must have unwittingly hidden near the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Deciding that it was a happy coincidence he decided to skive off the rest of training for the day, he could not concentrate on the task at hand anyway and was unlikely to make any headway whatsoever if he did not deal with what had been bothering him all day. Namely Ino.

Ducking out of the alleyway he hurried to catch up to his fellow blond.

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Ino made her way to Kurenai's house, cradling a bouquet of beautiful white lilies. She was somewhat apprehensive about the prospect of approaching Kurenai but resolved as the women was her last hope before she would be forced to turn to some other source whose opinion she would not be entirely sure she would be able to take to heart.

She had made it only a couple of blocks before the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end. She was being watched, she could feel it. Turning her head slightly she caught a brief glimpse of orange and black only a few paces behind her.

Once more watching where she was going she slowed her pace until her pursuer caught up with her.

It took only a moment before the current enigma that had been plaguing her thoughts reached her side, his golden blond locks shining brightly in the midday sun.

"Ino-chan!' Exclaimed the blue eyed boy once he had matched her stride. He was silent for a moment before he spoke up once again. "If those are for me you should know, I really prefer violets." Naruto commented brining her attention back the lilies that she was carrying.

"Well its a good thing they are not for you then. Isn't it Naruto-kun." She was sorely tempted to genuinely laugh, something she had been very little of the past two weeks, at the fake hurt look that plastered itself on the boys face a moment later. The way his eyes teared up and his lower lip pouted and quivered was very amusing.

The look disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived being replaced by the grin Ino had dubbed his Foxy Grin when they had been younger. "You wound me Ino-chan!" the golden haired blond informed her before theatrically clutching his chest.

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All joking aside Naruto was, in fact, very curious about the flowers and perhaps a teensy bit jealous that they were not for him. Not that he expected to get flowers from the girl, that kind of gift was usually the other way around. "Seriously though. Where are you off to this afternoon?" He asked prying, genuinely interested in what his friend was up to.

His purple clad friend was silent for several minutes before she responded with a sigh saying. "I am going to Kurenai-sensei's house. I have something I would like to talk with her about."

Naruto did not miss the tension in the voice of the girl who was possibly his closest friend. Lacing his fingers together behind his head he continued to walk side by side with Ino fro several more pace's wondering if she might elaborate about what it was she needed to speak with the expectant mother about. Alas she did not, forcing Naruto to pry. Just a little. "So... What do you need to talk to her about. Is there anything I can do to help?"

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Ino cast a quick glance at the boy walking beside her, wondering, and not for the first time, if he knew about the conflicting emotions that she was experiencing. After quickly scrutinizing the boys body language as he continued to walk beside her she thought that he in all likelihood had no clue that the topic of her conversation with Kurenai was to be him. Not that Kurenai would know either, she would outline her misgivings but leave out names unless she had to divulge.

Seeing that he was still waiting for an answer though Ino shrugged before saying as nonchalantly as possible, "It's nothing, just a girl thing." She glanced at her enigmatic companion as he just nodded his head his hands falling from the interlocked position behind his head down to his sides once more.

As Naruto continued to follow her for several more blocks however she was possessed by a sudden curiosity. "So Naruto where are you off to? Shouldn't you be training?" She asked narrowing her eyes playfully as she interrogated the other blond.

The boy laughed sheepishly before a rather large grin came over his face and he rubbed the back of his head. "Lets just say training ended early."

Ino quirked a pale blond arch in response but did not comment further instead trying to see if the boy intended to follow her. "So what are you doing instead."

"Well, actually, I had been planing to go to Kurenai-sensei's house as well. I still need to speak with her. I had intended to do it this morning but..."

Ino looked worriedly at the boy who had come to mean a great deal to her over the past few weeks. His body language which had just a moment ago been playful had altered radically. Figuring that he had been unable to face Kurenai alone after what had happened with Konohamaru she decided that it was her obligation as his... friend to help him.

"Well we will just have to go together then wont we." Ino concluded for him before shifting the flowers so that she was cradling them in the crook of one arm and linking her now burden-less arm through his own.

That decided the pair continued their trek in companionable silence.

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The walk had been uneventful for the most part, aside from a few dark glares which Ino had heatedly contested causing several of the perpetrators to avert their own eyes. When they arrived outside the humble little home Naruto's feet once more rooted him in place just outside the gate but, with Ino's urging, managed to proceed.

Drawing a deep breath he walked, still arm in arm with Ino, through the gate and down the path of slate paving stones to the door and knocked. His heart rate increasing with each step and stopping when he knocked and the door was opened.

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His fear regarding the conversation with Kurenai had proved unfounded. The Jounin had been very understanding. Saying that Asuma, like his father, had loved the him as if he were family and that as ninja there was always a danger of dying on a mission. At least he had died doing something that he had truly believed in, trying to make the world a better and safer place for his family to live in.

When they had left Kurenai had kissed Naruto on the forehead, much as Tsunade had done all those years ago, before telling him that she hoped he would not be a stranger and that despite her husbands passing he was still family.

Those words had meant a great deal to him and it had taken considerable effort on his part not to break down into a sobbing mess afterwards. He'd had no idea that Asuma had thought as much of him as he apparently did.

It was as they were walking away, once more arm in arm, Ino's head resting on his shoulder that Naruto realized Ino had never asked Kurenai about what she had wanted to. Curious he decided to ask her about it, "Oi, Ino-chan. You never asked Kurenai whatever it was you were gunna ask her. How come?" Naruto inquired softly foregoing his usual boisterous nature.

Ino glanced up at him from her resting place taking a moment before answering. "Funnily enough, my question was answered."

With that silence once more fell over the duo as they continued their walk through the now dark and mostly deserted streets of Konoha.

When they arrived at the Yamanaka residence Naruto turned to leave only to find the delicate, at least in appearance, fingers of Ino grasping his forearm turning him back around. Confused Naruto faced the other blond who moved right up against him before planting a chaste kiss on his lips and stepping back from the now throughly dumbfounded form of Naruto. Then without saying anything turned and left for her home.

Glassy eyed Naruto stood in the now deserted, save for him, street in front of the Yamanaka residence for several long minutes before finally coming to his senses enough to look up at the window behind which he knew was Ino's room.

When he looked up he found the blond girl staring down at him a flirtatious smirk crossing her face before she twitched her curtains shut.

Smiling one of his once rare, now increasingly, common genuine smiles Naruto made for home. A spring in his step.

Maybe it could be after all...

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"_Darkness is cast by the thunderheads overhead, as they sound with a deafening clap. A lightning bolt's dazzlingly bright display relieves the surround of nights all consuming shadow. If only for a moment." _

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	5. Acceptance Part II

**Acceptance: A Naruto Story**

**Chapter 5: Acceptance**

**By: **T.E. Rose

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters, much to my great displeasure.

**Publish date: September 30, 2011**

**A/N: **Well here it is, finally. I hope that it's not too disappointing considering the exceptionally long wait that I made you all suffer through. A wait for which I cannot apologize enough. However once will have to suffice, so here it is…

...I am most terribly sorry for the tardiness of this piece...

There now that that is out of the way we can move on to more important matters. First off I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to review, be it with compliments or criticism. They have meant a great deal to me and have kept me working on this piece when I had initially been content to leave it simply as a One-shot, but was persuaded to add more to it by your responses.

Which is exactly what lead to the current extended wait. I had no idea where it was that I was going to take this story or for that matter what I was going to write. As for this segment in particular I had no Idea what it was I wanted to write. If they were older, If they had children, if Naruto was deceased or some other circumstance as this is a sort of epilogue. Finally after some mental deliberation I have decided on what you find below.

I hope this, being the final installment, is to your liking. Now please, if you would be so kind, read and review.

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I walk through the storms darkness and down a path unknown to my feet. Towards a place where the clouds have parted and the sun's light may warm me.

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Ino stretched beneath her dark purple down comforter luxuriating in the warm embrace of both it and her very comfortable bed. Smiling as she recalled the very pleasant dream she had just been having before she had woken. Glancing over towards the lone window in her room, one she had become accustomed to peering out at night, she watched the dust particles that danced in the narrow stream of sunlight that pierced through the narrow gap between the two pieces of deep purple linen.

As she did this though the smile she had awoken with faded, turning instead into a slight frown. This frown however was brought on not by some stray thought concerning her now deceased sensei, as it had been in recent weeks, but rather by the frustrating disappearance of a certain blond haired blue eyed boy.

Naruto had, the day following the night of her having given him a kiss, vanished from Konoha altogether it seemed. She had even gone so far as to seek out several of their mutual friends, over the course of the past week, none of whom could recall seeing the boisterous blond at all. A fact that had, to an extent, disturbed, given all of the secrets and information that she was now privy to. Surely if he had truly gone missing Lady Tsunade would have raised an alarm. Which meant that someone knew where the boy was. Someone whom she would have to find and compel to share.

With a frustrated huff Ino climbed from her bed, regretfully untangling herself from her bed clothes and set about getting ready to once more venture out into the world, one she had become increasing dissatisfied with. She had an early shift at the hospital, one she was now taking more and more regularly.

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Naruto sat down hard on the ground his legs and arms heavy with fatigue, sweat streaming down his face and his shirt clinging to his skin.

He was not sitting up for long before he found himself lying flat on his back no longer able to hold himself up. Staring up through the narrow gaps in the leafy canopy overhead that blanketed the forest floor in dappled shadows he watched as clouds drifted by far overhead. Unlike Shikamaru however he took little pleasure from the activity.

Perhaps it was because he had never been one to sit still for more than twenty seconds at a time if it could be helped. Or, more likely, it was the fact that he could not make heads not tails of what he was to do concerning Ino.

True she was gorgeous, smart, fun and funny but he was Naruto Uzumaki, the pariah of Konohagakure no Sato. He had no desire for the stigma associated with him to be at all transferred in any way, no matter how small, to either Ino or the Yamanaka family as a whole. They did not deserve to be treated as he was by the uninformed masses. His was a treatment that he would wish to foist upon no one. Something he was sure would happen if he were to openly engage in a romantic relationship with Ino.

In fact he was quite sure that the reason no on suspected one at the present, not that there was but their relationship from an outside perspective could have been easily misconstrued, was because they had aside from one lunch only spent much time together at night, when their was no one around the avenues of Konoha vacant. Again, he was quite, a situation that from an outside perspective could be easily misconstrued had anyone been privy to it.

He was quite glad he'd not had occasion or need to speak to Ino's father since any of his late night excursions with his daughter. He was quite certain that it would not be a pleasant conversation. In fact it would in all likelihood be the exact opposite of pleasant. The fact that that man was an interrogation specialist was hovering ever at the forefront of Naruto's mind.

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With a sigh Ino went about her rounds, she was now picking up a weekly shift at the hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. She had quickly asserted herself as one of the more skilled part time practitioner's. Her skill was now second only to her once best friend, then rival and now once more friend, Sakura, as far as people in their age group went. Several of the senior members of the medical staff had tried to convince her that she should make the hospital her profession, rather than fieldwork.

She had however little desire to work in the sterile environment or under the humming fluorescent lights more than she already was. She very much preferred doing missions, plus she felt that it was where her newly acquired talents belonged. Healing those whose injuries in the field could quickly turn fatal before they could manage to return to Konoha and receive medical attention.

In fact it was her firm belief that the Hokage should make the learning of medical techniques an optional course, like cryptography or economics, at the academy for the students there. They already taught basic anatomy and physiology would it really be such a burden to arrange another class for those students who were interested in the prospect of learning healing techniques?

Putting that thought aside Ino instead set about the arduous task of completing her paperwork so that she might go to lunch. After which she was resolved to finally figure out where it was that Naruto had sequestered himself.

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Naruto stripped off his shirt and shed his pants before jumping into the basin at the base of the waterfall he stank quite badly somewhere between an old shoe and Jiraiya after a bender.

Floating on top of the foaming water Naruto relaxed for the first time in more than a week. He had not even been home. He had made habit over the past few days of training until he passed out, waking up and doing it again. All the while studiously avoiding his personal problems, a solution he found infinitely more elegant than dealing with them.

Submerging himself beneath the surface of the cool water once more he closed his eyes before breaking the surface.

The second his head pierced the surface once more after its submersion he found it struck, rather sharply, by a stick the length of his forearm and weighing some three pounds.

"Oi!" grumbled Naruto indignantly. Rubbing the spot which even now was throbbing dully Naruto set his feet down on the bottom of the pool while peering around to see who it was that had thrown the offending object which even now floated mocking on top of the water not a foot from him having been pushed back due to the waves emanating from the crash of water descending violently into the pool from the falls.

Within moments of beginning his search his eyes lighted on the one person he had been avoiding. She looked incredibly annoyed. If the arched eyebrow, tapping foot, crossed arms and fearsome scowl that currently marred her delicate features were any indication.

'Shit...' Naruto chuckled uncomfortably, his trademark grin stretching over his whisker marked visage while his hand, that had been rubbing the sore spot on the top of his head, now moved to the back of his head which he began rubbing in his usual sheepish manner.

He watched with more than some apprehension as Ino stomped over to the edge of the pool and toes planted at the edge of the water and waging an admonishing finger at him. "No!" she growled out at him through clenched teeth.

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Ino stomped over to the edge of the pool her toes tickled by the water as it lapped the edges of the basin. She had upon entering the clearing been momentarily struck by it.

Her transfixion had nothing to do with the fact that the boy she had, over the past few weeks, began to gradually develop feelings of a rather intense nature for was floating on top of the water in nothing but his boxer shorts. Boxer shorts that given there damp nature clung to him in a way that left very little to the imagination, and it most certainly had nothing to do with the light blush than now dusted her cheeks. Nope, nothing at all. Nothing what so ever. Okay. Perhaps a very little. If she were being honest with herself...

She watched as he put his feet down on the pools sandy bottom and rubbed his head with his trademark grin spreading across his face. She waved an admonishing finger back and forth at the blond as he made to look adorable. A turn of events she was sure would make it nearly impossible for her to continue to be vexed with him, "No!" she ground out through clenched teeth.

"No! No! No! It will not do, don't you dare look adorable when I am here to be cross with you." Ino admonished eyes narrowed dangerously as she loomed ominously over him, only to pout cutely when he merely continued to look a combination of embarrassed and sheepish.

"Oh very well. I can see you can't help it." Withdrawing her finger she instead folded her arms across herself contenting herself with merely glaring down at her fellow blond.

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Naruto did not know what to say to Ino at first, everything that he had planned on saying to her upon seeing her again had momentarily become stuck in his throat and would not be dislodged. He did not have it in himself to do what he felt, what he knew, must be done.

He looked up at the highly agitated girl who standing on the bank loomed over him ominously, her foot tapping a steady cadence in the shallow line of water that lapped the shore. Clearly, waiting for him to say something.

Finally tired of waiting she broke the extremely tense silence that had settled over them. "Well?" snapped Ino waspishly, an eyebrow arching quizzically in a manner that had Naruto flashing back to the nights when she would look down at him from her window.

Naruto's hand dropped from the back of his head to trail in the water as he continued to stare up at the blue-eyed beauty that he had developed significant feelings for over the past fortnight.

"What do you want from me Ino?" Naruto asked, his entire manner shifting from embarrassed and confused to depressed and pleading. Desperate.

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Ino noticed the drastic shift in her fellow blond's demeanor and did not know what to say in response to him and suddenly felt very awkward. She had caught up in her own passions, neglected to think of Naruto's. "Forgive me. Please. I… I just… I just thought that… but no… Your affections are directed towards Sakura. As they always have been." Spoke the pale haired girl, her voice cracking slightly at the end, before she turned on her heal and fled from the clearing. Leaving behind a stunned Naruto standing alone in the waist deep water.

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Naruto was stunned; well perhaps flabbergasted was a more accurate description of what he was. He did know one thing though if he went after her then he would admit his feelings for her, something he wanted to do more than anything, but was afraid of the backlash it would cause and so had refrained from doing the one thing in world he was sure would make him happier than anyone one had ever been or had a right to be.

If he let her go, it would be the single hardest thing he had ever done in his life. Far harder than living alone, in a vast sea of people who want nothing more than to ignore your very presence. Far harder than being the shame and guilt of his best friend, brother in all but blood, turning traitor and failing to stop him. Far harder, then bearing the weight of the death of a most beloved and respected shinobi, sensei and father. Yes, far harder…

In the span of a brief few moments he made a decision that would alter his course as a maelstrom will alter that of a ship.

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Cloud cover blinded the moon and a chill autumn breeze passed through the vacant thoroughfares of Konoha unimpeded by the usual bustle of the hidden village and yet it did not affect him as he stood there numb and unfeeling staring up at her window. She smiled down at him, a warm tender smile finding its way to her features.

He stood there for a long time staring up at her and she down at him. Her hands reached for either side of the window and he knew she was about to draw her curtains shut, seeing this prompted him to do the thing he had, only a few hours ago told her for the first time.

"I love you." His voice was little more than a whisper as it was carried away on the wind but even though she did not hear him she had understood and had mouthed the same to him despite the fact that he could not hear her before drawing the curtains closed.

Heart light and enormously happy Naruto put his hands in his pockets and began the trek home. For once the weight of the world seemed to have settled on someone else, because for tonight at least it most certainly was not on his shoulders.

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I walk through the storms darkness and down a path unknown to my feet. Towards a place where the clouds have parted and the sun's light may warm me.


End file.
